Did Cabelas Gun Library in Hartford, CT throw in the towel?

I was recently driving through Connecticut and stopped at the Cabelas in Hartford.

The selection in the Gun Library was less than inspiring.

It is not easy for an out of state resident to buy a long gun in Connecticut, and I think there is a two week wait for most in state residents as well.

Is it possible that the Hartford store isn't even trying to keep a nice selection of rifles and shotguns on hand?

I noticed the same thing in the Grandville MI store. Figured out that put a lot of the used gun library guns with the new guns at the counter.

perhaps with an election coming up, some folks may be less inclined to trade something in or sell outright; leading to fewer used guns (old or newer) on the shelf?

just a thought

I've heard that the cabelas near me has actually sent someone out to gun shows, and some auctions to try to buy some guns for their library. Their inventory hasn't been very inspiring for awhile now.

Do people actually buy guns from Cabela's?

WATCHDOG said:

Do people actually buy guns from Cabela's?

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As opposed to what - stealing them?

WATCHDOG said:

Do people actually buy guns from Cabela's?

Click to expand...

vt_shooter said:

As opposed to what - stealing them?

Click to expand...

I'll rephrase it.

Does anyone actually buy guns from Cabela's at their ridiculously overinflated prices?

People like to complain about "high" listed prices...at Cabelas and elsewhere. But, many of these places will take a lower offer if you just take the time to ask.

I bought a blue, 4inch, 27-2 in 98% condition from Cabelas a couple of years ago.....I simply offered a "reasonable and fair price" that was quite a bit lower than what they had it listed for and they took my offer.

Got a hard to find S&W..sometimes you just have to ask.

Don

I got a nice M58 from the Gun Library at the Cabela's in Dundee, MI.
It was quite a few years ago, however.

I have to be careful here working in a Cabela's Gun Library has helps pay my bills and fund my hobby for the past 11 years. Remember I don't talk for the company, it is just this one guys opinion. Now on to my answer.

Cabela's has not given upon gun libraries, as far as I know. The reality of the answer to OP's questions is just a simple numbers game and market conditions.

Cabelas now has 70 plus Gun Libraries. There are only so many great high end and collectable guns out there on the market at any one time. As the general population has become use to buying and selling on the internet; more and more those higher end and collectable guns are being sold online by people using auction sites and never make it to the wholesale market. Now you have more and more dealers chasing that limited inventory.

As a business like Cabela's expands and builds more and more Gun Libraries those Libraries end up competing against each other and other dealers chasing a limited number of guns. On the plus side those lower grade shooter grade guns sitting on the racks turn like crazy and turn a good profit for Cabela's. We love the high end stuff but like most used gun dealers it the lower price affordable stuff where the real money is made.

A dealer like Cabela's that has invested in space like their Libraries still needs to put guns on their shelves. That means they either have to pay more than the other guy to get great stuff and then hope they can turn it over at a profit, take slimmer margin or they have to be happy with what they can buy which might not be the quality they once bought when there was less competition in the market place. Often the latter has become the answer.

Another change that has happened is that the sellers, because of the internet, have better and easily obtainable information when it comes to the retail value of their firearms. Unfortunately many seem to over estimate the condition of their firearms and often have no idea of little variations that can make a large difference in actual value. They tend to expect to be paid a price near the top of the market for their guns. They forget that there is a difference between wholesale value and actual retail. They often walked when they get a reasonable offer that is 60 or 70 cents and sometimes less on the dollar from the value they have seen online.

Then their is the problem of finding enough employees to work in 70 or so Libraries that are actually qualified to play in the high end gun market. It takes a lot of experience, expertise and time being a collector gun jockey to really have a clue how to buy and sell fine firearms and earn a profit. That expertise isn't something you can go to college and learn. It takes a life time to gain that knowledge and expertise. Now imagine how hard it is to find an employee that has that experience and expertise that is willing to work and share that knowledge for $10 or 12 per hour. The reality is the pool of people with that talent and knowledge are rarer than guns. Real talent, expertise and knowledge is expensive so you see the problem. You can hire any kid from a freeway off ramp College to manage a store but finding someone that has the know how to work in Gun Library and have clue, not so much; so, you see the problem.

The reality is you need to hire someone to sit behind that desk and buy guns. You just hope with training and supervision that not too many mistakes and bad buys get made. With most of the guns bought being at the lower end of the market most mistakes don't hurt too bad. Unfortunately because of a lack of expertise when something high end does come in the potential for a mistake being made goes up exponentially.

Again that is just this one guys opinion and I don't speak for Cabela's.

WATCHDOG said:

I'll rephrase it.

Does anyone actually buy guns from Cabela's at their ridiculously overinflated prices?

Click to expand...

Watching Cabela's Gun Library site is worth doing. No question there are prices way out in left field high but often way out in right field low, too. I know their are dealers and collectors that are up at strange hours of the morning shopping when Cabela's updates their web site looking for those right field mistakes. Over the years I've seen many guns quickly flipped by dealers that jumped on a firearm under priced by a Cabela's Gun Library.

Bill makes many good and valid points. However, in Central Ohio, the Cabela's used gun buying practice has become a laughing stock. The ridiculously prices offered on used guns has driven all but the drug addled or completely ignorant (and desperate) away so there is no inflow of quality used guns. I find the "managers" of the gun department, uninformed of guns in general and quality guns in particular.

While I have my own special interests, the clubs I belong to and shoot at have a quite varied group of collectors and shooters. The consensus has been that Cabela's has put a moratorium on spending (or maybe a limited budget is a better term) and they are not really trying to buy guns so much as legally steal them.

The good point was made that the average person has an over estimation of their gun's condition. I have found the buyers (and I use that term loosely) also have no idea of what constitutes the condition of a gun. They have valued everything at say 80% or less for buying and pricing at 95%+ for selling. The NRA guidelines are in every book on value I have ever read.

I have watched as several very knowledgeable sales people have been driven away from Cabela's local store as well as the Wheeling store. This happened in frustration from dealing with "higher ups" that have a very limited knowledge of firearms out of their own nitch!

The good news is, all those guns still exist! All we have to do is find where they are being sold at. And, that is the challenge! The bad news is there are more buyers than ever, they consider their stock and CD's interest rates and are rushing to purchase fine firearms as fast as they can. One friend has purchased 24 SAA's and 17 N-frames in the last 3 years! (About half are factory engraving or other embellishments from the factory!)

Ivan

WATCHDOG said:

I'll rephrase it.

Does anyone actually buy guns from Cabela's at their ridiculously overinflated prices?

Click to expand...

Not me:

I've bought from Cabela's gun library in the last year. Public service & holiday sale got me a total of 25% off, plus a company picnic gift card, which made it very appealing.

I would like to ask the Cabala's employee Bob a question. Where in the world can you find anyone with even just a reasonable knowledge of firearms to work for $10 - $12 per hour?
I'd say that's impossible unless it's someone who really doesn't need the money and just want's an excuse to get out of the house. Aside from a rare bird like that I'm drawing a blank!
Jim

italiansport said:

I would like to ask the Cabala's employee Bob a question. Where in the world can you find anyone with even just a reasonable knowledge of firearms to work for $10 - $12 per hour?
I'd say that's impossible unless it's someone who really doesn't need the money and just want's an excuse to get out of the house. Aside from a rare bird like that I'm drawing a blank!
Jim

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At my Cabela's, the gun counter folks all fall under the retired, looking for an excuse to get out of the house category.

hoc9sw said:

At my Cabela's, the gun counter folks all fall under the retired, looking for an excuse to get out of the house category.

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That covers a lot of us.

What Bill Bates said!

I always hit the Cabela's Gun Room (Library) whenever I am in the store. I have purchased one Model 57 from Cabela's in Lehi UT and I believe that I received a 10% discount for being a military retiree. I had it appraised after the purchase and the appraiser rated it around 98%.

If I am correct, in terms of firearm sales, compared to 2014, 2015 was a blockbuster year and surpassed that year. 2016 is on course to beat the 2015 record. The CEO of Sturm Ruger recently said that they can't keep up with demand even working overtime and having a new third plant. I believe that it's located in the "Tarheel State".

Without exception, every time that I have been in Cabela's there is a line of people with their "4473" in hand waiting to check out. You usually also have to take a number (like a barber shop) to be waited on by an employee to look at their firearms.

Keeping their Gun Room shelves and inventory well-stocked must be a real challenge for Cabela's!

BSeabrooke said:

What Bill Bates said!

I always hit the Cabela's Gun Room (Library) whenever I am in the store. I have purchased one Model 57 from Cabela's in Lehi UT and I believe that I received a 10% discount for being a military retiree. I had it appraised after the purchase and the appraiser rated it around 98%.

If I am correct, in terms of firearm sales, compared to 2014, 2015 was a blockbuster year and surpassed that year. 2016 is on course to beat the 2015 record. The CEO of Sturm Ruger recently said that they can't keep up with demand even working overtime and having a new third plant. I believe that it's located in the "Tarheel State".

Without exception, every time that I have been in Cabela's there is a line of people with their "4473" in hand waiting to check out. You usually also have to take a number (like a barber shop) to be waited on by an employee to look at their firearms.

Keeping their Gun Room shelves and inventory well-stocked must be a real challenge for Cabela's!

Click to expand...

I have seen some nice guns at my local gun room but their asking prices were on the high side.

The "taking of a number" part of the buying experience seems to be the worst part of dealing with Cabela's and Bas$ Pro.
Who started that awful retail idea?

I will throw my .02 in. What the OP describes is pretty accurate for ALL gun stores and shows nowadays. They just don't make those old classics anymore. The inventories are very diluted all over with new guns.